New Senate Judiciary chairman's agenda includes FOIA reform

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, laid out his agenda as the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee beginning in new session of Congress. Among them was his declaration to improve the federal Freedom of Information Act. Leahy has been a long-time advocate for FOIA reform.

Here is a part of Leahy's speech delivered Dec. 13:

Defending The Public’s Right To Know

The public’s need to know is a constant in our democracy, a basic building block for the consent of the governed. This year, we marked the 40th anniversary of the Freedom of Information Act, or “FOIA.”

Unfortunately, open, informed government has been under assault by the first administration in modern times that is explicitly hostile to the public’s right to know. By using ideology to trump science, gagging government scientists and experts, reclassifying public documents and undermining important tools like FOIA, this government has displayed a dangerous disdain for the free press and the public. Dr. James Hansen, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute and a leading authority on climate change, was kept away from events where he could share his research insights with the public – the same American public that pays the bills for the research Dr. Hansen has been doing.

It will be a priority of mine to continue efforts to strengthen and improve our open government laws. Some may be surprised to know that Senator John Cornyn has been an ally in efforts to restore FOIA. We are forging a bipartisan partnership that I hope will continue, and I look forward to greater progress in the next Congress.